| Event: | Men's 500 metres speed skating |
| Games: | 1948 Winter |
| Venue: | St. Moritz Olympic Ice Rink |
| Date: | 31 January 1948 |
| Competitors: | 42 |
| Nations: | 15 |
| Win Value: | 43.1 OR |
| Gold: | Finn Helgesen |
| Goldnoc: | NOR |
| Silver: | Ken Bartholomew |
| Silvernoc: | USA |
| Silver2: | Thomas Byberg |
| Silvernoc2: | NOR |
| Silver3: | Robert Fitzgerald |
| Silvernoc3: | USA |
| Prev: | 1936 |
| Next: | 1952 |
The 500 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Saturday, 31 January 1948. Forty-two speed skaters from 15 nations competed.[1]
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1948 Winter Olympics.
| World Record | 41.8(*) |  Hans Engnestangen | Davos (SUI) | 5 February 1938 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Record | 43.4 |  Clas Thunberg | St. Moritz (SUI) | 13 February 1928 |
| 43.4 | Bernt Evensen | St. Moritz (SUI) | 13 February 1928 | |
| 43.4(**) |  Jack Shea | Lake Placid (USA) | 4 February 1932 | |
| 43.4 | Ivar Ballangrud | Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) | 11 February 1936 |
(*) The record was set in a high altitude venue (more than 1000 metres above sea level) and on naturally frozen ice.
(**) This time was set in pack-style format, having all competitors skate at the same time.
Five speed skaters were faster than the standing Olympic record. Finn Helgesen set a time of 43.1 seconds.
| Place | Athlete | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 43.1 | ||
| 2 | 43.2 | ||
| 43.2 | |||
| 43.2 | |||
| 5 | 43.3 | ||
| 6 | 43.6 | ||
| 43.6 | |||
| 43.6 | |||
| 43.6 | |||
| 10 | 43.7 | ||
| 11 | 44.0 | ||
| 44.0 | |||
| 13 | 44.7 | ||
| 14 | 44.8 | ||
| 44.8 | |||
| 16 | 45.2 | ||
| 17 | 45.3 | ||
| 45.3 | |||
| 19 | 45.5 | ||
| 20 | 45.6 | ||
| 21 | 45.7 | ||
| 45.7 | |||
| 23 | 45.9 | ||
| 45.9 | |||
| 25 | 46.0 | ||
| 26 | 46.1 | ||
| 27 | 46.2 | ||
| 28 | 46.3 | ||
| 29 | 46.4 | ||
| 46.4 | |||
| 46.4 | |||
| 32 | 46.5 | ||
| 46.5 | |||
| 34 | 46.8 | ||
| 35 | 46.9 | ||
| 36 | 47.2 | ||
| 37 | 47.4 | ||
| 47.4 | |||
| 39 | 47.8 | ||
| 40 | 48.3 | ||
| 41 | 48.7 | ||
| – | DNF |